


Modern Vampires of the City

by crystalhero



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Male Character, Canon Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Heroes of Olympus, HoO - Freeform, M/M, New York City, Nico di Angelo - Freeform, Not Canon Compliant - The Heroes of Olympus, PJO, leco - Freeform, leico - Freeform, leo valdez - Freeform, percy jackson - Freeform, valdangelo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-03-05 01:39:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3100277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystalhero/pseuds/crystalhero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico moves into the New York City apartment next door to Leo's. Things start out shaky, but the two soon discover that they have a lot more in common than they may have thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Neighbors

He had never been good with tools, but this had to be done. Kneeling precariously on the bathroom counter, he awkwardly clutched a dirty screwdriver in his left hand. He reached up to the corner of the streak-covered bathroom mirror and carefully twisted out the rusted screws one by one. The mirror fell past him, clattering on the stained tile. He heaved a sigh of relief, setting the screwdriver next to him. He didn't need the mirror, or rather, he didn’t want it. It just served as a reminder of all the disappointment, rejection, and lack of satisfaction that its images brought him. For years, Nico had lived his life without it, and he wasn’t about to change now.

Nico hid the mirror in one of the creaky wooden cabinets under the sink. He’d find something to fill the empty space later, he thought, as he padded to his small bedroom. The bed springs creaked as he sat. He pulled off his trusty aviator jacket, and then his t shirt. He undid his belt and laid back on the bed, rubbing his eyes and breathing deeply in an attempt to clear his head. At least he was here now. Nico had been looking forward to getting his own place since he was a kid. He hated living with his parents, surrounded by people who thought they knew what was best for him, who thought they could help him, when all Nico really wanted was to be independent. The fact that the Di Angelos’ home was packed full with memories of his older sister made the place feel even worse. It wasn’t easy for Nico to move on when photos of Bianca were framed in every room. Bianca, who had been taken by cancer when she was only eleven years old. She had been Nico’s best friend, worst enemy, role model, and hero, all in one, and she was gone, just like that. It was far too young for anyone to go. Losing her slowly had been the worst part. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before he’d lose his sister was enough to drive a grown man insane, let alone an innocent nine year old boy. A piece of Nico’s heart had been buried along with Bianca, and even all these years later, he couldn’t escape the memories. All he could do now was push the thoughts away, forget about his sister, forget about himself, and concentrate on his own life in the present. 

Nico jumped when he heard a knock at his door. Falling rather awkwardly off the bed, he immediately hurried to put his clothes back on.

Leo rapped his knuckles four times against the door, humming to himself. His knocks were met by a thump, the rustling of fabric, and a muffled "oh, shit", making him chuckle. The door was soon opened by a teenager who strikingly resembled a skeleton dressed in gray jeans and a black My Chemical Romance t shirt, struggling to pull on a battered aviator jacket. 

"What do you want." His question came out as as a statement. The boy peered through badly dyed black bangs with a hostile expression, which sat oddly on his young-looking face. This kid couldn't have been older than seventeen - how could he have gotten his own apartment? Leo cocked his head. "Just wanted to say hi."

The boy crossed his arms defiantly, looking Leo straight in the eye, as if challenging him. "Hi."

"Hi." Leo imitated his crossed arms. The question was out before he realized how creepy it sounded. "How old are you?" 

The boy's face went deep red, his eyes dropping to the floor. "Eighteen..." He looked back up at Leo, as if checking whether or not he bought it. Leo raised an eyebrow. He sat in his right hip, leaning against the doorframe, a sarcastic half-smile forming on his elf-like face. After an awkwardly long pause, the boy let out a huff, dropping his arms to his sides. "Fine, I'm sixteen. Happy?" 

Leo's brows furrowed, his smirk softening. "Wait, then how did you get an apartment here? You have to be eighteen, you know." Rolling his eyes as if it were obvious, the boy reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out what looked like a very damaged drivers license. Probably a fake ID. Leo took the card from the boy & examined it. It was fake, Leo could tell from experience, but it was honestly very convincing. More convincing than any Leo had ever used. Plus, the building manager wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, so it was probably very easy for the boy to sneak his age past him. A badly-taken picture of the boy had been carefully pasted onto the plastic. He looked like death itself, with his ghostly pale skin and darkest brown eyes, which appeared black as pitch in the photograph. The name on the card read "Nico Di Angelo". Leo flicked his eyes up to meet the boy's. "Fake name?"

The boy shook his head, his messy bangs brushing back and forth against his forehead. "It's real," he sighed, nervously tapping his fingertips against the side of his thigh.

Leo's lips curved into a gentle half-smile. He handed the card back to the boy, who gave him a tentative look, and held out his hand. "I'm Leo Valdez," he said, his eyes crinkling slightly. 

Taking Leo's hand, he gave a small shrug, his expression casually flippant. He held Leo's gaze with a cynical air. "Nico Di Angelo."


	2. Complaint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extremely short chapter, James Dashner-style. Comic relief for things to come. Hopefully later chapters will be longer, sorry about this.

Complaint

The idiot next door had been singing in his shower for the past fifteen minutes, and it was starting to drive Nico insane. He released his uncombed hair from white-knuckled fists; his palms had a slight black tinge from his cheap hair dye. Furiously wiping his hands on his jeans, Nico stomped out into the hallway, shoeless, cursing out his stupid neighbor under his breath.

Nico’s knocks were met with the squeak of a shower faucet and some mumbling from his neighbor - something about being in the middle of a verse. Soon, the door was opened halfway and a dripping wet Leo Valdez was leaning out from behind it, only visible down to his chest. "What's so important that you needed to interrupt my shower?" he raised both eyebrows, looking almost amused.

"Oh, nothing." Nico's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Just came to tell you to shut the fuck up." He folded his arms, annoyed that Leo was laughing. Rolling his eyes, he walked back to his own apartment next door. "Whatever. Just... Stop." He slammed the door behind him.

Leo stood up straight, smirking to himself. "I like that kid," he mused, as he retreated to his bathroom, leaving a trail of water drops behind him on the worn blue carpeting. He untied the ratty white bath towel from his waist, tossed it into the floor, and turned the shower back on. He rinsed the remaining shampoo from his hair, and sang the last verse of Killer Queen - quietly enough so that Nico wouldn't hear.

He turned off the water, picked up the towel, and quickly dried himself. Leo's flannel shirt and jeans were waiting for him on the bathroom counter, next to the sink. As he buttoned his shirt, Leo admired the poster of Paris on his bathroom wall, a souvenir he'd gotten on his last trip with his best friend, Piper. The poster he'd put up to cover the faded rectangle that had been left on the bathroom wall. To hide the spot where his mirror used to hang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think Leo is a Queen fan.


	3. Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Possibly a better chapter title would have been "Leo the Good Neighbor" but I'm sticking with one word titles just to be extra pretentious.

After hearing the faintest sounds of thumping and sobbing for over an hour now, Leo wasn't sure it was his imagination anymore. He carefully put an ear to the wall, and sighed when he realized that the noise was coming from Nico's apartment. "What's wrong, kid?" Leo mumbled to himself as he paced the carpet in his sock feet. 

The sky grew dark. Nico watched from his window, squinting through salty tears. He bit hard into the side of his lip, feeling muted pain when his canine drew blood. An awkward sob slipped out as another tear crawled down his ghostly pale cheek. He had told himself he wouldn't let this happen again, he wouldn't let his emotion get the best of him. But the thoughts were inescapable. Every time he thought he'd managed to lock them to the very back of his mind for good, they managed to break out again - Bianca is gone. Worse than gone, dead. Never coming back. You are nothing compared to her. You'll never be the person she was. You'll never find someone to replace her. Nico Di Angelo, you are worthless. You are less than worthless, you're shameful, inferior, complete garbage with no purpose, no friends, no family who want you. You ruin everything you touch. How can you live with yourself? How can you bear to look yourself in the face and think that what you see is okay?

The thing was, Nico couldn't look himself in the face. He couldn't bear it. Since moving out, he hadn't so much as glanced into the mirror, too afraid that what he saw would only amplify his morbid thoughts. He'd resorted to removing any and every reflective surface from around him. But even now, the thoughts kept creeping up. Nothing could quell them, and Nico could never find himself at peace.

He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket and retreated to his small bedroom. He immediately collapsed onto the bed, his eyes fluttering shut. With a sharp intake of breath, and a shaky sigh, Nico was asleep.

It had only been minutes before Nico was awakened by his telephone ringing. He reached for the cordless phone and answered, mumbling obscenities under his breath. "What."

"Hey, uh, it's Leo from next door." Nico's brow furrowed as he sat up in his bed. "I ordered some Chinese and I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to come over and have some? With me?"

Nico felt a slight blush on his cheeks. He shook his head abruptly, embarrassed. "Why?" he asked coldly.

Leo let out a slow sigh. "Well I... I heard you crying earlier and... I wanted to make sure you were okay..." He paused for a reaction but was met only with the sound of Nico's breathing through the phone. He chuckled nervously. "Come on, man, I can't eat all this orange chicken by myself." 

Nico rubbed his temple. "Fine," he whispered. "I'll be over in a few minutes." 

"Cool." Leo smiled, and waited for Nico to hang up the phone. He undressed and went to his closet to change into something more presentable.

He was just pulling his favorite red sweater over his head when he heard a knock at the door. Leo made his way to the door, quickly running his hands through his mess of curls in an attempt to tame them. He shook out his arms and sighed, smiling, and opened the door. 

Nico's arms were crossed, as usual, his stringy black bangs hanging over his forehead. His hairline was stained with black hair dye. He wore his ratty aviator jacket, zipped up to his neck, with excessively ripped jeans tucked inside black Doc Martens. Nico shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, hesitantly flicking his eyes up to meet Leo's. "Hi," he whispered.

Leo raised his eyebrows gently, the corner of his mouth curling into a dimpled half-smile. "Hi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was short too, I'm sorry, ugh... I prefer writing in short bursts for some reason so most of the story will be like this unfortunately.


	4. Icebreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap I'm so sorry I haven't updated, I'm ultra busy & beyond stressed at the moment. This chapter is crazy short (I'm so sorry, it was originally going to be part of a longer one) but I just wanted to let you all know that I am NOT abandoning this story & I am still alive. I will try to write a full chapter by this weekend. If you want you can follow my tumblr, slvtherclaw. I'm there a lot. Maybe a little too much.

Leo had seen a lot of funny things in his life, but the sight of Nico di Angelo getting more and more frustrated at his inability to pick up rice with his disposable chopsticks just might have been the funniest. Leo had to hold his breath to keep the laughter in. He could only imagine how red his face was getting with the effort.

He swallowed a piece of chicken, setting his own chopsticks down. "Nico, would you like a fork?" Leo asked, a snort of laughter escaping. Nico met Leo’s eyes, his expression showing the exact opposite of amusement. Leo looked back at his food. The message was clear.

Leo cleared his throat. "Okay then." Nico grunted in response. He idly pushed his rice around the plate.

After a few painfully long moments of listening to a mixture of each other's breathing and squeaks from the radiator, Nico broke the silence. "Is..."

Leo brightened at a chance to speak. "Is what?"

The boy's cheeks went an unsettling shade of burgundy. His voice was grudgingly low. "Is the fork still an option..."

This time, Leo didn't hold back his laughter. "Of course man, come on." He led Nico to the small kitchen, not bothering to hide his grin. Behind him, Nico hesitantly smiled too.


	5. Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our two heroes attempt to bond over some orange chicken, featuring some awkward staring and a trip to the bathroom. At last, a decent-length chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EXCITING UPDATES CONCERNING THIS STORY: Finally, after months of thinking about, writing, changing, rewriting, and most recently, publishing this story, I have at last come up with an ending. It came to me in the bathroom just this morning and I couldn't be prouder of myself. Don't worry - this is not the final chapter, and the final chapter won't be coming anytime soon, as far as I know. I do know the ending, but I don't know how exactly how I'm going to get there yet. In other news, I have officially gotten back on track with this story, and I am going to *try* to post on a schedule. Emphasis on "try." I am going to attempt to post a new chapter every Sunday. There is a big chance however, that there will not be a new chapter next Sunday. More like a huge chance. A 100% chance. I won't be home. So I'll be starting this weekly thing in about 2 weeks. Until then, if you have any questions about this story, any concerns, any input, any suggestions for future stories (please), you can comment here, but there's a better chance of me seeing it if you message me on my tumblr, slvtherclaw. But yeah. I love this story, and I hope you do too. See you in two weeks, peace out for now.

It was Leo's decision to finish eating on the couch. He put on an episode of some comedy show Nico hadn't seen, and plopped down next to him, takeout box in hand. Nico consciously ate as slowly as possible, twirling his fork in his rice, listening to Leo's loud laughter at the show's clever jokes. Nico liked the way Leo laughed, throwing his head back and grinning widely, not holding back. They were almost opposites, Nico thought. He rested his fork against the side of his takeout box with a quiet sigh. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed like that. 

Leo glanced into Nico's food. "You've barely touched yours, man," he swallowed the last of his rice, his smile lingering. Nico was shocked by how easily Leo was able to make eye contact with him. Most people couldn't stare into Nico's angry coal-pit eyes for more than a few seconds. But Leo's vision stayed put, emitting friendly concern. Nico stared back, allowing his gaze to get lost in Leo's deep chocolate brown one. "Um, dude?" Leo chuckled nervously. Nico snapped his eyes back to his food, blushing slightly and silently scolding himself. He'd been lost for too long.

Setting his takeout box on the ground, Leo scooted closer to Nico on the couch. He felt the other boy tense up. "Is something bothering you, Nico?" He bent forward, trying to meet Nico's eyes again. He refused to avert from the determined stare he was giving his uneaten chicken. His cheeks red, Nico closed his eyes and sighed. Leo felt the boy's body relax.

"I'm fine," he replied in a small whisper. He slowly set his food on the floor, sat back up, and turned to Leo. "Can I use your bathroom?" he asked quietly. 

"Sure, man." Leo stood up, and by instinct, offered his hand. Seeing Nico's confused reaction, he drew it back and ran it awkwardly through his hair. "It's, uh, this way." He led Nico to the bathroom, forming his own blush. Shit, he thought. I'm giving this kid all the wrong signals. He watched as Nico carefully closed the bathroom door, his cheeks still red. Shit, he thought again. This kid is really fucking cute. Leo turned away from the door, slightly taken aback by his own thought. Ruffling his curls with his hand, he smiled and shook it off. He sat back down in front of the TV, and, after making sure the bathroom door was closed, helped himself to some of Nico's uneaten food. 

Nico had a routine when it came to restrooms that weren't his own. Stare at the floor walking in, stare at the wall doing his business, stare at the sink washing his hands, stare at the floor walking out. This way, he wouldn't catch himself in the mirror. Nico followed his little routine as usual, keeping his eyes firmly to the floor as he stepped over to the sink. He turned on the water and watched it flow over his pale fingers. He went to reach for the soap, but stopped in his tracks when instead of seeing a mirror's frame in his peripheral vision, he saw something paper with a pink border. Nico held his breath, daring himself to look up. Instead of a mirror, Nico saw a poster of the Eiffel Tower, with "Love from Paris" printed in the top left corner. His eyebrows furrowed. Drying his hands on a ratty green towel, he stared up at the poster. Didn't normal people have mirrors? 

He opened the door slowly, hearing Leo slam something down on the floor. He looked up at Nico with his mouth full of food, swallowed quickly, and threw on a pleasant smile. "Welcome back," he squeaked. Nico closed the door and stood with his back to it, looking curiously at Leo. Leo threw his hands up. "Alright, you caught me, I helped myself to some of your chicken. In my defense, I thought you were done." Leo sighed, his eyebrows dropping. He stood up and jogged over to his fridge. "Look man, I'm sorry, I'll get you something from the kitchen, mind you, I don't have much, but-"

"That's fine, I'm not hungry," Nico answered quickly. 

Leo stopped with refrigerator door halfway open. "You sure?" He closed it slowly as Nico nodded. 

Nico sighed, stepping away from the door. "I wanted to ask you something." He said carefully. His gaze dropped to the floor again. 

"Yeah?" Leo raised his eyebrows.

Nico took a deep breath and let the words tumble out. "Why don't you have a mirror in your bathroom?" 

It was Leo's turn to blush. He ran a hand through his hair and walked quietly to the couch. He sat, patting the spot next to him. "Sit down," he said softly. "Uncle Leo's gonna tell you a story."


	6. Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very long chapter by my standards in which Leo reveals why he doesn't own a mirror, along with some details about his past. TRIGGER WARNING: loss of family member, abusive home environment. If reading about this kind of thing upsets you, please skip this chapter. Click to the end notes for a brief, trigger-free summary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the first of my attempts at weekly publishing. Let's hope I stick to it. Happy Ides of March, see you in a week.

"I was six years old when I lost my mom," Leo began with a heavy sigh. He stared at his hands folded in his lap, breathed in again, and forced himself to speak. "My dad left right after I was born, I've never met him. It was always just my mom and me. We didn't need anyone else. She ran a pretty successful mechanic shop back in Houston. All her customers loved her, but not as much as I did." 

Leo closed his eyes. Nico leaned closer, studying the details of Leo's subtle blush, his short, thick eyelashes, the curve of his elf-like nose, the softness of his lips as he drew in another deep breath to continue his story with. 

"Mom was working in the shop one night, and I was sitting in the next room over, playing with some tools and spare parts, doing whatever it was I did. She always locked the door to the workshop, so I wouldn't come in and interrupt her or get hurt with the power tools. She tapped on the wall every thirty minutes or so in Morse code, to make sure I was still there, like always. I have ADHD, and I used to run off. Like, a lot." He chuckled softly, looking back on a fond memory. Nico gave a small smile, watching as Leo ran a hand through his thick mess of curls, his gaze still set on the ground. He couldn't help but think that Leo was rather beautiful, especially in the dark of the evening, his face softly illuminated by cheap artificial light. Nico pulled his gaze away. He didn't want to get lost again. 

"Anyway," Leo continued, "She would tap out 'I love you.' I would tap back, 'I love you too.' But something, uh, happened that night. We'd been in the shop for a few hours, tapped back and forth maybe five or six times. It was about 9 or 10 at night and it had been probably an hour and a half since the last time my mom tapped, longer than usual. I started hearing some strange noises out of the shop. Sort of crackling noises. I assumed it was just the tools, but something felt sort of off about it. I got a weird feeling in my gut, like something was wrong, but I just shrugged it off, didn't check on her or anything.” Leo paused, letting out a huff through his nose. “Probably the worse mistake I ever made.

“Twenty or so minutes later, I heard my mom scream. I jumped up and ran to the door to the workshop and tried to open it, but the door was locked, like it always was. I yanked on that shit as hard as I could, yelling for her. She screamed my name over and over again. Leo, Leo, help me, help me..." Leo whimpered. He blushed and out a deep sigh. His knuckles had gone white from clutching his hands together so tightly. Nico kept his eyes on Leo. He said nothing. There was nothing to say. 

“It felt like forever I was pulling on that fucking door. Eventually, it stopped. Her screaming died down, but the crackling was still going, getting louder and louder and I kept at it for probably another hour. I pulled so hard, the handle came off, so I started banging on it, crying and screaming for my mom the whole time until I lost my voice and my throat burned like hell. I fell asleep in the shop that night. I remember watching the sun start to rise before I passed out. 

“When I woke up, there was a fireman standing over me. He said something about thinking I was dead and asked me what happened the night before. I don’t remember what I said. Probably nothing. The fireman led me outside. There was a big red truck parked in the driveway and the ground was wet. He told me that mom’s blowtorch had malfunctioned and the workshop caught on fire. She was dead. After that, they took me to the police station and got me put into a foster home, just like that. No ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ no ‘it’ll get better, kid,’ no pat on the head, nothing. Shoved me right into some run-down, piece of shit house in a local trailer park that reeked of beer and weed with like, six other kids. I tried to run away within a week, but the police found me and sent me to another home, which I ran from, got caught, got sent to another home, you get the point. A sick kind of cycle. I hated the families they sent me to. They treated me like the worthless kid I was, mothers forgetting to feed me, fathers barking at me for no reason, siblings beating me up. I was a scrawny kid. Probably held the Guinness record for most black eyes in a lifetime.” He snorted and tried to force a smile. “I lived like that for a solid seven or eight years. I lost count of the families at about thirty-something. But every time I ran, I made sure to head north and east, toward New York. Thought I could get a job there, make my own living. Definitely standard nine-year-old thoughts. Anyway, jumping around foster homes got me as far as Tennessee by the time I was almost sixteen. I managed to run out on my last family without getting caught by hiding on a set for a Western movie and pretending to be an extra. I actually got in front of one of the cameras, so if you’re ever watching a Western and see a filthy Latino kid with long ass hair running around in the background, that’s me. You’re living next door to a celebrity.” 

Nico smiled. “You think I can get an autograph? Or a signed picture?” Leo laughed quietly, making Nico’s stomach flutter as he felt his cheeks start to go red. They went even redder when he realized that Leo was looking at him with that wide cheeky grin, which strangely juxtaposed the dry tears on his cheeks. Nico looked down, embarrassed. “So, uh, movie set?”

Leo chuckled. “Alright, so anyway, this movie had a guy named Tristan McLean in it, he was like the main guy or something, and his daughter was hanging around the set. She actually found me sleeping behind a fake cactus and started questioning me, like, ‘who the fuck are you, are you even in this movie, get off my dad’s set, you fucking hobo!’” Nico laughed, his eyebrows curving up in amusement. Leo raised his own brows, surprised at hearing Nico laugh for the first time, high and quick and musical. He couldn’t help thinking how nice it sounded. And how innocently happy Nico looked when he did it. It took the sullen, brooding teenaged boy right out of him and replaced it with something much more light and human. Leo felt a bit of heat rise in his own cheeks and decided it was a good time to start talking again.

“So I told the girl why I was there, how I ran away, all that. She got all sympathetic, helped me up, and actually asked her dad if he’d let me stay on the set for a while. He was like, sure whatever, and I stayed. The girl hung out with me the whole time, and we became really close. We’re still really close. Inseparable.” Leo’s eyes welled up. “Piper’s still my best friend. She saved me. If it weren’t for her, I’d either be homeless or dead.” He exhaled slowly. “I owe Piper McLean my life.”

Leo ran his hands over his face, clearing his head. “Two summers ago, Piper’s dad took the two of us to Paris. He had to film another movie there. Nicest place I’ve ever been.” He glanced over to the bathroom door, Nico following his gaze. “That’s where I got that poster, to cover the faded spot where my mirror was.”

Nico took a deep breath and prepared to drop the bomb. “Why did you take the mirror down?” The words were barely audible, but were enough to penetrate the silence.

Leo paused. “Ever since I lost mom,” he began slowly, “I’ve told myself it was my fault. I’ve thought of a million things I should have done, but didn’t. I should have picked the lock, I should have broken the wall down, I should have kicked down the door, I should have gone outside and pulled her out through the window. I should have done all those things instead of yank on the fucking door handle and whine like the six year old I was!" He was shouting now, hoarse and exasperated, his face red and tear-stained. “I should have tried to save her. I didn’t even try. Now my mom’s dead and I can’t do anything about it." His voice shrunk to a whisper. “Every time I see my reflection, all I see is mom, and it all replays in my mind. The thoughts eat me alive. It reminds me of that night, it reminds me of all the foster homes I got stuck in, it reminds me of being a terrified little kid on the street on the run from the cops. I can't look into my own eyes without hating myself for what I did. What I didn't do. I haven't looked in a mirror for years. I'm afraid of what I'll see."

His voice cracked on the last word. Nico looked up from his lap. Leo’s eyes were red and tears were drying on his cheeks. He hastily wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I’ve never told the whole story at once before. It’s a little… much. I shouldn’t have, I’m sorry I forced you into it.” 

“Don’t be sorry,” Nico whispered. He closed the space between himself and Leo, their thighs barely touching, and draped an arm over Leo’s back. 

Leo rubbed his eyes again, sighing. His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “I just… I feel like it’s my fault. I feel like it’s my fault that she’s dead. If I’d gotten up to check on her just a few minutes earlier, I could have saved her. If I’d just gotten off my stupid lazy ass and knocked on the door when I heard the fire, she’d still be here…” He sniffed loudly, bending over and burying his face in his hands.

“It’s not your fault,” Nico assured him. “You didn’t cause anything. You didn’t know how to stop it.” He rubbed Leo’s shoulders, a slow back and forth motion. Uncharacteristically, Nico didn’t feel awkward doing it. He felt like Leo wouldn’t mind. 

Leo relaxed under Nico’s touch, though he had been a bit surprised at the boy’s forwardness. But the gesture was comforting, sweet, almost. “They always say it’s better to let yourself vent than to keep everything inside,” he mused. He looked up at Nico, his eyes still wet. “Thanks.”

Nico’s eyebrows furrowed. “For what?”

“For letting me vent, dumbass.” He shoved Nico’s chest playfully, making Nico crack a smile. “You could’ve told me to shut up any time, man.” 

Nico shook his head "Never." He pulled his arm away, keeping his eyes on Leo. "Like you said. You needed to vent."

Leo wiped his eyes once more and looked up at Nico, whose usual scowl had softened into a concerned, friendly gaze. "Nico, you're a good kid." He reached over and patted Nico's hand, making him blush furiously. 

Nico stood up quickly. "I'll uh, get you some tissues." He hurried to the bathroom, closing the door quickly behind him.

Leo laughed, shaking his head. He couldn't help liking the kid. He had to admit, Nico was pretty adorable. Besides, venting to him felt great, like he'd lifted a weight off of his shoulders. He'd never opened up to anyone that much before, maybe not even to Piper. Leo almost preferred that it had been Nico rather than Piper. Nico seemed more understanding. Piper came from a rich family. Her dad was a movie star. She could never understand what Leo had gone through, but he thought that just maybe, Nico could.

Nico shuffled out of the bathroom holding a blue tissue box. He sat down next to Leo, a few inches away from where he'd sat earlier. He pulled out a tissue and handed it to Leo, who chuckled and rubbed the tear stains off of his dimpled cheeks. "Thanks." He smiled at Nico, whose blush returned.

Nico scratched his head and sighed. "Uh... Leo?" 

"Yeah?" 

Nico filled his lungs and pushed the air out slowly. "I took my mirror down too."

A corner of Leo's mouth turned up slightly and his eyebrows relaxed. He moved in close to Nico and put an arm around his shoulders. He spoke softly into Nico's ear. "You need to vent?"

Nico nodded slowly. "I had a sister..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Summary (trigger-free)
> 
> Leo tells Nico about his past, something he doesn't exactly like tell about. Leo lost his mother in a fire when he was six years old. He was sent to several foster homes, which he ran away from, but was always caught by the police and sent to another home. When he was around 15, Leo hid from the police on a set for a movie starring Tristan McLean. His daughter, Piper, took Leo in and they grew extremely close. Piper's dad took her and Leo on a trip to Paris, where Leo bought the poster he hung in his bathroom in place of a mirror. When Nico asks again why he took the mirror down, Leo explains that when he sees himself, he sees his mother, and his memories flood back to him. He took the mirror down so he wouldn't have to think about his past. Nico hesitantly tells Leo that he took his mirror down as well, and, with Leo's arm around his shoulders, launches into his own story about the loss of his sister, Bianca.


	7. Vampires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico lets it all out. Leo gets a bit carried away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY AN UPDATE. I just got off spring break so I'm all rested & ready to write. Let's just pretend I don't have to go to school tomorrow. But seriously, I'm going to try my best to update at least every other Sunday. I personally love this chapter, so here. Enjoy.

Bianca, huh.” Leo sighed. “It’s a damn shame she had to go.”

Nico wiped his eye with the sleeve of his jacket. “It is.” His voice shook. Get it together, Nico, he thought. He hated crying, especially in front of other people. Besides, he’d only met Leo about a week and a half ago. What a great early impression to make. My neighbor, the wimpy little boy still crying over his dead sister, almost ten years later. He felt so vulnerable, like he was eight years old again, sobbing and sniffling on his neighbor's couch. Pitiful. The thought made him cry harder.

Leo stood. Nico scolded himself. Great. You’ve driven him off his own couch. That's what you get for bringing Bianca up.

He half expected Leo to walk out the door. Leave this weak little kid to cry and whine until he could man up and move on. It's what I deserve, Nico thought. But Leo didn't leave. He couldn't have been prepared for what Leo did.

He knelt in front of Nico, between his knees, and hugged him.

Nico squeaked at the impact, his body tensing. “I get it,” Leo whispered. “It’s alright, let it out.” He squeezed Nico’s sides reassuringly. “You’re not alone, Nico.”

With a shaky breath, Nico hesitantly draped his arms over Leo’s shoulders. He took Leo’s advice to ‘let it all out,’ maybe a bit too literally. Nico relaxed in Leo’s embrace and, for the first time in years, allowed himself to cry. He sobbed, yelled, cursed, did everything he could to pour out the emotion he’d carefully bottled up and stored away. He dropped his head and screamed into Leo’s shoulder as tears streamed down his face and onto Leo’s sweater, forming a dark patch in the red fabric. Leo didn’t flinch. He held Nico’s waist tight and let him cry until he was all cried out. The kid needed it. This was the least Leo could do.

Once Nico had finished, Leo gave him one last squeeze and unwrapped his arms. He crossed his legs, sitting on the floor facing a red-faced, tear-stained Nico. Leo reached up and wiped a tear off of Nico’s cheek with his sleeve, with a smile that was almost sad. “Well, nice to see I’m not the only crazy bastard around here who can’t look in a stupid mirror.” He blushed sheepishly, smiling down at his lap.

Nico gave a nervous laugh. He gingerly touched the spot where Leo’s hand had been, his face growing red. “We’re like vampires,” he whispered.

Leo grinned widely. “Modern vampires.” He stood up and plopped himself back on the couch next to Nico. “Has a nice ring to it.”

“You know what?” Nico began, leaning his head back.

“What?”

“I don’t even remember what I look like.”

Leo turned to Nico, an eyebrow raised. “Sucks, man. You’re pretty good looking, I have to say.” 

Nico blushed profusely, hiding his smile. He looked at Leo, teasingly raising his own eyebrow. “You’re not too bad yourself.”

"Really," Leo teased, reaching out and playfully ruffling Nico's hair, much to his annoyance. Leo decided that telling another man he had soft hair was a bit creepy and held his tongue. Drawing away, he noticed a strange black tint on his palm. "Dude," Leo laughed, displaying his hand. "Cool it with the hair dye."

Nico flushed deep red, smiling to himself. "Sorry," he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I dye it way too much."

Leo snorted. "No kidding." 

"It's really just so I have some sort of idea of what I look like. Like, I have black hair. I know that for sure." Nico closed his eyes. "Keeps me grounded in a way."

"I never thought of that," Leo mused. "Interesting." He looked at Nico. Just looked at him, admiring his delicate features. Marveled at the fragility he hid behind the edgy clothes and black hair dye. Here, with his brick wall down, relieved tears still staining his face, Nico seemed to be someone completely different. Leo yearned to wrap his arms around Nico once more and keep him safe. He wanted to be his protector, his friend, his companion, all in one. Leo refused to admit it to himself, but in that moment, part of him might have wanted something a little more. What the heck, Leo thought. Might as well indulge himself now that the moment seemed right. He took a quiet breath and allowed his fingertips to find their way to Nico's downcast face. 

Nico gasped softly at the touch, his eyes fluttering open, but he didn't resist. He focused his eyes on his lap as the blush in his cheeks darkened. He hesitantly pulled his eyes up to meet Leo's, and was almost dumbstruck by the other boy's deep, meaningful gaze. Leo seemed to be staring straight into Nico's soul. And somehow, though surprised, he didn't mind the intimacy. 

Leo gently pulled Nico's chin toward him until they were looking eye to eye once more and Leo's determined gaze met Nico's wide-eyed one. He watched as Nico ran his tongue over his soft pink lips, probably out of habit. Leo leaned closer. He touched his forehead to Nico's. Now he could feel Nico's breath against his own lips, and it felt so fragile. Nico wasn't just "cute," as he had thought to himself before. He was a kind of beautiful that Leo had never seen before. In this moment, Nico was as ethereal as the angel he was named for.

Leo had begun closing the gap between them when an an electronic "beep" broke the silence. Nico's wristwatch. Sighing rather awkwardly, Leo released Nico's face, revealing the deepest blush that was hidden beneath his hand. Leo felt heat rise in his own cheeks. The moment was over.

"Midnight," Nico squeaked, looking at his digital watch. He sighed, closing his eyes. "I should probably go."

Leo ran a hand through his own curls. "Alright," he whispered, embarrassment flooding through him. He rose and made his way to the door, Nico silently following. 

"See you around, kid." Leo opened the door with a creak. Nico stepped out without a word. "Wait-" Leo began, reaching for Nico's shoulder. The other boy turned, his blush still lingering. "Look, Nico, I... I'm sorry." Leo hung his head. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry, man, I just... I don't know. I'm sorry." 

His words hung in the silence. Nico took a hesitant step toward Leo. "It's alright," he whispered. He waited as Leo silently composed himself, slowly bringing himself to meet Nico's eyes again. "Thanks," Nico breathed. He leaned subtly toward Leo, rocking forward onto his toes.

Leo's lips curled slightly. "You're welcome, man." A soft laugh escaped him. "Any time."

Before either of them could think, Nico darted forward, pecked Leo's cheek, and disappeared into his own apartment.

Blushing furiously, Leo touched the spot where Nico's lips had been. He allowed a bashful grin to spread across his face and slowly closed his door with a soft creak that filled the silence perfectly.


	8. XO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An evening's aftermath. Inner thoughts and lots of nice feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some cool news: 1. I have changed my username from ravenclawish to crystalhero. I have also changed my tumblr from slvtherclaw to crystal-hero. Just needed an update and a way to incorporate my newfound love for Steven Universe into everyday life. 2. I have gotten a few big things in my life out of the way, know what that means? It means I am going to try to re-implement the weekly schedule! I'm excited. So excited.

Nico closed his door as quietly as he could and pressed his back to it as the widest grin spread on his face. It took all of his power not to squeal as he ran and collapsed onto his couch. Leo had been so wonderful. He’d let Nico in, when he was used to being pushed away. No one had ever been so welcoming to him, and it gave him a feeling deep in his chest that he’d never had before. A good feeling. A feeling that he was actually wanted and liked by another human being. A rather hot human being, Nico had to admit. 

Leo couldn’t keep the confused blush off his face. He’d tell himself to calm down, it wasn’t a big deal, nothing crazy had happened. But the corners of his mouth would turn up and his fingers would creep back up to his cheek and the cycle would begin again. And he couldn’t help thinking - did he want something crazy to happen?

Snuggled up against the radiator, Nico sat in the darkness of his bedroom. He gazed out over the city, lit up multicolored under the tiny speck of the moon. The famous Empire State Building stood out, glowing bright red. It reminded him of Leo, the way his personality burned big and bright, a new light in Nico’s life.

Nico had never had a real crush before, at least not in many years. He remembered a day from the third grade, when he and the other boys were huddled in a circle at recess, whispering about who they liked. He remembered the echoing laughter that ensued when he gave the name of the boy who sat next to him in class. As life went on, Nico learned more about this part of himself, and accepted it. He liked boys. Of this he was sure. What he wasn’t sure of was what liking a boy felt like. Or if that was the feeling he now had for Leo. 

Leo lay awake, his covers thrown to the side. “What the fuck just happened,” he whispered. “What the fuck was that…” And did he like it? Did Nico like it? Was there anything to like? His fingertips lingered on the spot where Nico’s lips had touched for that brief moment, when Leo’s heart had leapt from his chest and exploded into heart-shaped fireworks. Heart-shaped fucking fireworks. Since when had Leo gotten heart-shaped fireworks from kids he’d just met? From boys? Leo had never given much thought to his sexuality, he’d just assumed he was the standard model. He’d been with girls before, never for long, just month-long flings that he’d get bored with and cut off with ‘we should see other people,’ or ‘I just want to be friends.’ Girls were nice, Leo guessed. He liked them. But Nico… That boy gave him a feeling all too new. Only one girl had ever given him that feeling, and that girl had been Piper. That bridge had burned, luckily, with both parties’ consent, but that was a whole different story. A very complicated one. Leo didn’t like to think about it. He also didn’t like to think about the fact that he liked Nico. That he liked boys in general, and hadn’t figured it out until now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had XO by Beyoncé on repeat while writing this, if you were wondering about the title. I couldn't resist.


	9. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fluffy walking, a fluffy meeting with a couple of Leo's friends, and the start of an even fluffier spontaneous date.

Eventually, Wednesday became their day. The day Leo would pick Nico up at 5 o'clock from his coffee shop job and take him to a movie, take him to a restaurant for dinner, take him for a walk down Fifth Avenue, stopping in stores, or just take him home. As friends. We’re friends, Leo told himself. Just friends, Nico thought. Nothing more.

One chilly Wednesday night in December, Leo had decided to take Nico to see the famous Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, after being appalled by the fact Nico had never seen it in person. "Dude," he groaned, exasperated, "TV makes it look tiny. This thing's fucking huge. You don't even know." He grabbed a slightly confused Nico by the arm and dragged him out of the coffee shop into the bitter cold. 

Leo made sure that he didn't walk too close to Nico. It wasn't socially acceptable, he assumed, & he wasn't sure if Nico would be okay with that arrangement. Unfortunately, keeping his distance was made extremely difficult by the way Nico's face looked in the cold. His normally ghost-pale cheeks had flushed a deep pink and he had his head turned slightly down so that his lips were covered by the color of his ratty aviator jacket. Even his nose had gone pink, Leo noticed. He'd never noticed how small and delicate Nico's nose was. It was cute. Adorable really. He averted his gaze before Nico noticed him staring. God, what he wouldn't do to be able to just put his arms around the kid, or something. Leo blinked, realizing that there really wasn't anything stopping him from doing just that.

He took a slow breath. "You look cold, kid," he sighed, shrinking the six inch barrier between them ever so slightly.

"Yeah," Nico replied, his breath condensing into a faint cloud. "This jacket's the best I have." He met Leo's eyes with a look that was almost hopeful.

Without a word, Leo quickly closed the gap and slid his arm up behind Nico, grazing his back, and closing his hand around the boy's upper arm. To his surprise, Nico barely flinched, and settled right into Leo’s shoulder. Leo grinned and squeezed Nico's arm. He felt the tiniest sensation of Nico smiling against his shoulder, and soon, his small gasp upon seeing the giant Christmas tree. 

Leo tucked his head down to meet Nico's widened eyes. "Right?" he laughed. He gazed up at the tree with Nico until a girl with messy braided hair and a bright orange ski jacket caught his eye. 

"Piper!" He called, waving wildly. The girl smiled even wider if that was possible and started to wave Leo over. Her head cocked to the side when she saw Nico, and her eyebrows raised when she saw Leo's arm around him. Leo quickly withdrew his arm and stuffed his hands in his pockets, his face going deep red. 

Nico just watched in amusement. He nudged Leo gently with his elbow. "Is that your friend Piper you told me about?" 

"Yeah," Leo mumbled. "Come on." He began to walk toward the girl, Nico hesitantly following. "You'll like her."

Piper was standing along the railing, watching skaters on the ice rink below. A tall, good-looking blonde kid stood next to her. As he approached with Leo, Nico watched as he laced his fingers through Piper's. He felt Leo lean in close as they walked over. "That's Jason," he murmured. "They're on and off. Currently on, I'm guessing." 

Nico chuckled quietly. "Duly noted," he whispered through a smirk. He blushed slightly when Leo laughed. 

"Leo!" Piper slipped her hand out of Jason's and ran to hug her friend. "I feel like I haven't seen you in so long," she sighed into his shoulder.

Leo snickered. "You saw me last week, chill," he grinned, pulling out of the hug. 

Piper's eyes shifted away from Leo, to something over his shoulder. "Is that Nico?" 

"Yeah, that's him." He ran a hand through his hair. Piper gave him a sly grin and raised her eyebrows. Leo threw his arms up. "What?"

"Nothing," Piper grinned and sauntered past Leo. "Hi Nico, I'm Piper," she said brightly, shaking Nico's hand. "Leo's told me all about you." She turned to wink at Leo, who looked like he might dive over the railing and belly flop onto the ice rink below. 

"Nice to meet you," squeaked a flustered Nico. "But uh, how do you know my name?" 

"Leo called me this week and told me about you," she explained. "He would not shut up about your-"

"Okay, that's enough," shouted Leo, who had suddenly grabbed a madly giggling Piper by the arm and had begun dragging her back to the railing. Nico dug his hands into his pockets and followed, his face growing red.

Piper turned to Jason, placing a hand on his. "We should come skating here sometime," she smiled. "It would make a cute date." 

"It would," Jason mused, looking over the rink below. He took Piper's hand and began to lead her away from the railing. "But I have another idea." Her eyes shone like two kaleidoscopes as Jason led her down the road. Jason stopped briefly to whisper in Leo's ear. "I'm taking her to Top of the Rock," he breathed through a grin. 

Leo laughed softly as he watched his friends disappear around the block. Once he saw that they were gone, he grabbed hold of Nico's hand. "Come on, loser." His lips curled into a half smile at the sight of Nico's eyes, wide with surprise and dark as the night sky. "We're going skating."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel awful for not posting, but I've had zero inspiration and even less time to write. But I'll be out of school very soon and then I'll have plenty of time, so get ready... My goal this summer is to finish this story...


	10. Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clumsy skating, a walk in the city, and a bit of flirting via Leo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did say once that I wouldn't be updating this story anymore... Surprise, I guess. I've decided to get back into it. I was thinking about this story recently and all the positive feedback I got from it (thank you) and how much I missed these two losers. This is a short chapter just to get me warmed up, but hopefully I'll have something good for you next time. Here are two little bits of info concerning me and this story and some other things: This story will be updated on Wednesdays. Not every Wednesday, I have a very demanding schedule, but updates will happen on Wednesdays, probably once or twice a month. It is Leo and Nico's date night, after all. Also, I've been working on some Pipeyna oneshots and I think I want to upload them. Let me know if that's something you guys would like to see. This was the longest chapter note ever (it's probably longer than the actual chapter), so please enjoy this tiny little update and I'll get another chapter up soon.

It was evident two minutes in that Nico had never put a pair of ice skates on in his life. He clung to the railings with white knuckles, shivering and clumsily shuffling his feet over the ice to the point where it was hilarious. 

Leo let out the burst of laughter he'd been holding in since he had to help Nico tie his skates ("I'm not putting my hands near those shiny sharp things!"). "Nico," he gasped between snorts. "Please, just... Let me help you, oh my god..." 

"Fine..." Nico grumbled. Leo extended a gloved hand and Nico took it in his bare one, reluctantly letting Leo pull him away from the railing. 

"Ok, now push forward," Leo explained. He glided forward and pulled a terrified Nico along with him. He chuckled. "Uh, good. I guess. Maybe try moving your feet next time."

"Sorry," Nico grunted, standing completely stiff and clutching onto Leo's hand for dear life. "I've never done this before."

"Really?" Leo shouted, pushing away from Nico, who had slowly and painfully retreated to a spot on the railing. "No shit!" 

Nico's cheeks went deep pink, even pinker than his nose had gone from the cold. "Shut the fuck up." Leo's contagious grin appeared, and it was impossible not to smile in return. 

Leo quickly skated up to the railing and grabbed it on either side of Nico's body, leaning in close to his ear. "Be right back," he whispered, and took off skating. Nico blushed even harder as he watched Leo race around the rink, passing every family and hand-holding couple along the way. He put his hand out for a high five when he reached Nico, sending them both into a fit of laughter as he went for another lap.

Leo reached the tail end of his lap. "Catch me!" he shrieked, practically giggling as he raced toward a terrified Nico. 

"Wait, wait slow down I -" Leo slammed into him at full force. Nico’s breath was knocked out of him as they were shoved against the cold metal railing. 

“You saved me,” Leo whispered, his smiling lips warm against Nico’s ear. At a loss for words, Nico only exhaled in response. Leo chuckled, pulling away and taking Nico’s hand in his as he led the dazed boy off the ice. “I think we’ve had enough of this.” He lowered his voice with a smile. “I know a place we can go.” 

Their hands stayed together as they walked down Fifth Avenue. Nico loved the way Leo’s eyes reflected the city's lights. He could see every glint of every color in their glassy surfaces. Leo noticed him staring, but didn’t comment. He liked the way Nico’s face relaxed when they were together. It was a nice change from his usual closed expression, and made him feel warm inside, as if Nico was only this way around him. 

“Central Park,” Nico mused. His eyes wandered over his surroundings, his bare hand still nestled into Leo’s gloved one. 

Leo closed his eyes. “Wait til you see where I’m taking you,” he smirked. 

Nico raised an eyebrow. “Should I be scared?”

“Nah,” Leo drawled, giving Nico a quick wink. The smaller boy blushed, chuckling. They walked in silence and enjoyed each other’s company. It was almost midnight, but neither boy cared. This kind of feeling was one they’d never had for another person. It was refreshing and new. They wanted to stay this way forever, to preserve it, keep it alive under the steady glow of the city lights.


End file.
